Spit may be a key piece of evidence for police as they try to identify the man who stabbed a woman several times at a city bar early Sunday morning, the Patriot Ledger reported.

A 43-year-old woman remained in critical condition at a Boston hospital Monday after she was stabbed more than five times at the Jazz Moon Karaoke Bar in Kam Man Plaza, Quincy police Capt. John Dougan said.

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Police took the victim's clothing as evidence after receiving reports that the assailant spat on the woman as he was stabbing her, Dougan said.

"We took the clothing to see if there was any transfer of DNA," Dougan said.

In order for the man to be identified via his saliva, he would need to have been previously incarcerated and have his DNA stored in the state's Crime Laboratory.

"Only if it's in the system," Dougan said.

Additionally, if someone is taken into custody, police could then try to pair a DNA sample with what is on the woman's clothes.

No arrests had been made as of Monday morning. Police are reviewing video surveillance footage from the bar as they continue their investigation.

The stabbing occurred at about 12:30 a.m. at the bar, located at 225 Quincy Ave. in Quincy Point. The bar closes at 1 a.m.

A friend of the victim's called 911 to report the stabbing.

Witnesses described the attacker as Asian and said he was wearing a dark knit hat and three-quarter-length coat. He had a knife, which was not recovered at the scene.

The restaurant was closed Sunday and was not open as of Monday afternoon.

Weymouth resident Tyler Luong, 26, a host at a nearby restaurant in the same shopping plaza, said he left work before the stabbing that night, but all seemed calm.

"We closed at 11 p.m. that day. We didn't see anything. When I closed the door I didn't see much. It was peaceful around 11."

He said he was surprised to hear what had happened the following day.

"It was totally surprising. Bad news,'' Luong said. "The location here is pretty good. I believe people just go shopping and chilling out with the restaurant over here or next door. It's not like a club like downtown."

Dougan is asking anyone who may have video or photos of the incident to contact Detective Edward Bagley at 617-745-5766.